Addressing “Entitled” Fans

Am I the only one that thinks this whole “entitled fans” debate is getting old already? For those of you who haven’t seen this phrase bandied about, well first of all lucky you, and second of all it’s basically becoming a catch-all phrase to describe disgruntled fans. A couple of years ago it was used to describe Star Wars fans for not lapping up the trash that was The Last Jedi; more recently it’s been dug up again to sling at those of us who are unhappy with the ending of Game of Thrones (more specifically for a petition that I don’t feel the need to go into cos it’s much the same as any other petition on the planet).

A lot of the time, this argument seems to be a way to shut down criticism- which is never a good look for a creator. Aside from the fact it often seems like people with MASSIVE platforms going after the little guy, let’s just say throwing your weight around shouting “HOW DARE YOU CRITICISE ME FOOLISH MORTAL” makes something else seem a little bit inflated… 😉

That said, the creator isn’t necessarily wrong for standing up for themselves. After all, if they had a vision for their work and the audience doesn’t like it, that’s not their fault, right? And harassing the author/creator/whatever isn’t okay. No matter how much we might love something, we don’t have ownership of it. And in the words of Mick Jagger:

So, I actually do get that a creator really shouldn’t have to do what their audience wants. That’s why I say REVIEWS ARE FOR READERS– they’re made after the fact and aren’t designed to make the author change their ways. Still, while it may be true that “art is not a democracy”, it doesn’t then follow that “ergo I never have to listen to criticism”. Nor is “I don’t have to listen to you because you’re just a fan” a great argument. Because here’s a little secret: FANS WANT THE PROPERTIES THEY LOVE TO SUCCEED. That’s why they’ve poured their time/money/hearts/souls into these projects. And to forget that is to forget what made success possible.

This is particularly significant when looking at modern, commercial art. When we’re talking about huge franchises like Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Harry Potter etc, we’re not talking about its creation in a vacuum. These hugely successful properties owe more than a little to their fans. The fact is, shows/movies/books even are being treated more like products; likewise, creators have been willing to treat fans more like customers. And that’s fine- but then it doesn’t stand for writers/producers to still say “it’s art, we can do whatever we want!” Because you can’t expect to act that way when taking people’s money AND get no complaints if you miss-market said product. As a fan, I might be more forgiving if things don’t pan out exactly as I want; as a customer, I won’t be as happy. For instance, if I go into a restaurant and order pizza and you give me ice cream, I’m not going to be happy (no matter how much I love both). Customers rarely want subverted expectations. Which brings me onto one of the biggest areas of debate…

Now, here’s the thing: subverted expectations aren’t always a bad thing. Game of Thrones in particular was known for it- and known for doing it well. There are times when I wish the creator had gone the unexpected route. And some art exists in that beautifully comedic and meaningful sphere where art breaks all the rules. Some of my favourite works exist in this bubble: Guards, Guards, Carry On and even the Alan Partridge books! Fans don’t always want to be serviced, if you know what I mean 😉 But, in the case of the elephant (or lack thereof) in the room/Seven Kingdoms, trying a bold manoeuvre like subverting expectations has to be well executed.

Funnily enough, a lot of criticism like this is actually fairly technical. Mary Sues, subverted expectations, fanservice are all terms that existed for a long time- and yet they’re being brushed aside for causing “offence”. Ironically, this feeds into the idea that there is a right and wrong reason to criticise art nowadays (or to criticise criticism). With call out culture waiting in the wings, (often verified) journalists are able to rile people up and simultaneously forbid regular consumers from questioning creative “genius”. This doesn’t seem like they have the audience’s best interests at heart: it seems like thinly veiled elitism, pulling up the drawbridge and gatekeeping competition.

That could just be my sceptical brain going into overdrive though 😉 To be on the safe side, let’s just engage in honest discussions, not resort to stifling conversations by throwing around ad hominems and stop calling fans “entitled” for voicing opinions.

So, what do you think of the “entitled fans” debate? Do you think fans go to far? How do you think creators should respond? Let me know in the comments!

82 thoughts on “Addressing “Entitled” Fans”

Personally, I feel that fans ARE entitled to certain things. As a creator myself, I do stand by, if the writer/director/whoever WANTS to do something unexpected, and it WILL fit with the whole thing, then I won’t hold it against them JUST for its unexpectedness. BUT, as a creator, I HEAR YOU on the “it should make sense” platform. I have poured my heart and soul into my characters – I know they aren’t real, but they need to seem real to my readers, so if I do something stupid for one of them, I let down my readers, and myself.

And as a fan of other series, I have absolutely felt the pain of letdowns…as well as the joy of stuff that was wrapped up perfectly. So I get all of this!

I think that’s really fair! And I do agree- I’m really not against unexpectedness, but also see the importance of it making sense. I really get what you mean.

And yeah, unfortunately I’ve been there too. I guess we have to hold onto the ones that made us happy (and as someone put brilliantly in the comments, appreciate the good parts of the story and derive satisfaction from that).

Yeah, I am surely holding on to the parts of shows or book series that I loved before they went south! For me, the GoT finale is, like, a standalone in an alternate universe. The whole series made me feel incredible things as I binged it in the last several weeks, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

I was troubled by the whole way this debate went and your post helped me clear up some things in my mind. Especially your customer/fan parallel is brilliant. What really concerns me is the elitism issue, it’s something we see more and more often in book reviews here. I have witnessed people going as far a claiming that only literature graduates can properly review a book. And personally I think that trying to eliticise popular culture is just pointless and points to ulterior motives.

I’m really glad to hear it. And thanks very much! And yeah I do agree with you- I’m most concerned with that as well. The internet has been a great leveller for people, but I see a lot of people trying to close that down. And the funny thing is, people think that they can create all those rules, but it doesn’t stop there- it may start with the literature grads, but soon it’s are you a verified journalist or author etc. I just see this all the time and it troubles me a great deal I very much agree.

Great thought provoking post! I’m not a GOT fan. I’ve never seen it… yet.

I can compare this on a smaller scale to when I read Stephen King’s It, and was VERY unhappy with the ending. I felt let down after investing so much time reading it. Loved the book so I guess I take my satisfaction from the rest of the story and the characters. Maybe GOT fans need to do that as well. I guess I agree most with your, You can’t always get what you want, statement. We can’t always agree with the creator and maybe that’s what makes it even more fun. The not knowing if we’ll enjoy the story all the way through to its end.

BUT calling people entitled fans is NOT the way to gather folks around for your next endeavor.

That makes so much sense- sometimes when the author/creator doesn’t stick the landing it can be so disappointing, especially if the rest of it was so fantastic. I think that’s definitely the answer for us GOT fans 😉 And yeah that’s a brilliant point- I never thought of it that way before- but you’re right that’s what keeps us on the edge of our seat till the end! (and it can be the springboard for other ideas as well 😉 )

The Princess Bride says it well, “Who says life is fair, where is that written?”. Most stories fall flat of our expectations. Our hearts long for salvation and most good stories simply copycat that. When you go with the artistic sad ending people will be disgruntled. Disney is aware of this.

I think stories are better when the ending is believable and rich. If it’s a tragedy, let it have a powerful ending. If a positive ending, then not some watered down, soppy sort of ending. Let the happy ending be surprising or funny or move the audience in some way. Also, a blend of happy and tragic is another great way to wrap up a story. Gotta have that silver lining, you know. 😉 But ultimately, the author should write the ending they want to read. Anyone know the saying to “write the book you want to read”? I really like this, because trying to please everyone is impossible, and will most likely spoil the creative process, so just go wild and do what you want to do, but be honest about it. If someone doesn’t like it, or even if everyone hates it, at least the artist did what they felt inspired to do. And the bonus is, each new experience can be a lesson learned, so maybe the next book will be better. Just my humble opinion. 🙂

If money is expected, then I think the fans have the right to say what they think. However, when it comes to franchises, I think the people working in said franchise have a responsibility to how that franchise has been made before.

Of course, I vote with my wallet. Which is why I stopped with Star Wars…

I think a lot depends on the individual situation in the fandom. Do fans have a right to criticize work? Absolutely. Are negative reviews allowed of course.

To me it crosses a line if the critic tags the social media of the artist(s) involved in the work. Different artists have different ways of coping with negative feedback, and *forcing* them to see it that way can be really harmful. By putting their work out for public consumption, artists open themselves up to criticism. I think that most are aware of that. But disgruntled fans often want the artist to acknowledge their complaint, and not all artists are able or willing to give them that acknowledgement.

I’ve also seen fans lash out at an artist personally: like “I don’t like the way that this film depicted a character, so now I’m going to badmouth everyone involved on social media. I’ll tag them in everything I say so that they’ll know I’m unhappy. I’ll try to destroy their career by starting a letter writing campaign to get them fired.” There comes to be a desire for revenge.

Fans have every right to be disappointed in something and to discuss it among themselves and give negative reviews. But I think that sometimes they get so worked up and indignant that they forget that there are actual people on the other side of it.

Completely agree with everything you’ve said here! Of course I think that while negative reviews and criticism is cool, harassment (and in my view tagging authors with criticism) is not. Personally, that crosses the line for me too (I don’t even tag authors for glowing reviews cos I don’t want to bother them or make them anxious in any way_).

I completely agree that people have different ways of coping- and actually really respect authors who choose not to read reviews (that’s why I believe reviews are for readers- I actually think it can be helpful to authors). Contrary to the view that you *have to* listen to criticism, after the work’s done it doesn’t do much good. better to get feedback on the next project before it goes out (though I of course respect the authors who have a thick enough skin to read negative reviews of their work).

And I don’t think it’s cool for people to lash out purposefully. And don’t even get me started on the people who try (and often succeed in) ruining other people’s careers (ugh, just ugh).

I think it comes down to what you think about how work of art comes about 🙂 Does it solely belong to the author? Or does its value come from the interaction between the author and the audience? The lines of division, contrary to popular expectations, don’t fall neatly between authors and audiences – many authors clearly state that their work has been fully realized only in the interaction with the intended recipients (readers, audiences etc.) And I actually think that’s the reason why the authors and the audiences sometimes get so prickly when their input is judged by the other side 😉 That said, once you put something out there, you need to come to grips with the fact it will be judged – that’s why you’re putting it out in the first place, and not cram it in your desk drawer 😀

I think that’s a really great point- very Roland Barthes “Death of the Author” 😉 And I do agree with that. And yeah I really agree with that- once work is out there, it’s going to be judged- as hard as that may be (though of course there is the option for authors to not look at/read negative reviews 😉 )

True :). There remains, of course, the matter of people crossing the line (on both sides, the authors can be no less guilty of that ;)) – but that’s a topic for another discussion entirely, and one that is actually very much alive in the blogoshpere these days 🙂

I think there needs to be a balance, as you suggested. I don’t think the fans should be dictating the story to the writer; a story isn’t necessarily a group project. And I think authors should be allowed to take breaks from a world, try other projects, etc. But, I think creators do need to keep in mind that their fans are what made them successful. So they should be respectful. They shouldn’t do things or write things just to mess with fans. They should keep in mind that fans just want them to tell a good story–and they should try to write the best possible story. And, if fans get upset, that’s okay. It’s because they care. Creators should either remain silent and let fans grieve amongst themselves, or acknowledge that some fans are upset–they shouldn’t suggest that fans HAVE to like what they did, or have no business getting emotional.

Yeah definitely agree. I think sometimes there’s almost too much in the way of fanservice with some shows (or decisions made that they *think* the fans will want). And yeah for sure. And definitely agree. I really get what you mean there- I think one of the biggest issues is when creators start trying to engage with the fans and have begun to tell fans that they’re wrong for not liking their outcome… which isn’t the best response. It seems to me that it’s quite a new phenomenon and could come from not having enough space between the creators and critics/fans- but I’m just speculating there.

Interesting topic! I don’t necessarily see being unhappy with someone else’s creation as entitled, depending… When it’s a series, and fans have invested their time and their hearts, and the plot doesn’t go as expected — well, that’s artistic choice. But when the plot doesn’t make sense or seems like a betrayal of characters, or just seems like an easy way out, then I think fans have a right to be upset — and the longer/deeper the involvement, the more understandable it is to have strong feelings when the ending feels like a cop-out or a negation of character development. As fans, we don’t have to like the way things turn out, but the flip side of the equation is that the ending shouldn’t be an 11th hour reversal of everything established so far or just plain messy.

Thank you! And yeah definitely. I think that it’s very different to complain about there being a structural issue with a creative piece as opposed to different choices being made that the fans didn’t want. It also tends to get a very different response if it comes out of left field, as opposed to just not being a popular ending. I think when it comes to something like Game of Thrones, it was a very messy, unfulfilling ending, which people have been able to break down logically, going into everything from poorly thought out battle plans to lazy character development- and that’s not really people being annoyed with where things ended up, so much as execution. So yeah, I definitely agree there.

Those who pay the piper have the right to call the tune, as the old saying goes, but I think we also like to be surprised. There’s value in criticism, though–creators will make mistakes and can learn from their mistakes. Just one example I can think of is that Chinua Achebe went back and rewrote his novel Arrow Of God. That’s not really an example of a response to fan opinions, but we shouldn’t assume any work of art is fixed, at least not while its creator is still alive. Of course there’s also the example of George Lucas tinkering with the original Star Wars when I think most of us fans said, “Leave it alone!”
It’s an interesting question because technology has also allowed us to connect so much more easily than we could before the internet. Back when people had to write a letter and mail it to, say, a publisher, and hope that it would be passed on I think they were more likely to express appreciation. Now it’s just as easy to criticise as it is to say something nice. I wonder how many creators spend a lot of time looking over their shoulders, and how that affects their work.

Great point! And that’s true too. and that’s such an interesting and good point. hahhaa yes!!

I do agree with that for sure. I was just saying to someone else that I think it has more to do with the fact that fans can connect with creators more easily. And that makes sense. And I definitely think that is a concern- because as much as there are creators lashing out against fans who are upset, I also see creators trying to please- and that’s not great either. So I can definitely understand creators being in an awkward position.

Dude!! Your discussions are always SO spot on! People do get entitled and it’s kinda silly lol. Yes, we all have our thoughts and passions and we do want things to succeed. But we have to remember that, in particular to books, authors write what they want and what they envision. They don’t completely write for us; it’s their book and they can do what they want. I hate to see how people are trying to force authors to write what THEY (the fans) want, when that’s crossing a line for me personally. I just think that if it goes too far, then the creator can just say “I hear you and respect your opinion, but I feel like this is the right direction for [insert project name here]” and leave it at that. We don’t need to get into fights at all. We can all respectfully disagree if it comes down to it. Awesome post

Thank you!! hehe yeah for sure. And definitely agree there- and that’s as it should be. Definitely agree!! I find it frustrating when authors cave to pressure and awful when fans try to force what they want out of authors (especially since a lot of the time it’s only the vocal fans and not going to help the work anyway). And couldn’t agree more! I think one of the biggest issues is when creators start to respond- it just doesn’t help the situation at all. Yes! thank you!

I think both sides are right. I think both the entitled fans and the people getting mad at them have gone too far in many cases. Examples…

Star Wars: some of the complaints I’ve seen about the new SW movies are 100% valid. These are complaints about the story, the plot development, etc. The “entitled fan” version that I’ve seen is the type which boils down to “noooo, the hero isn’t a white boy, you ruined Star Wars” and that’s not okay.

Game of Thrones: I haven’t see the show but I’ve seen lots of my fan-friends react to the final season. Their main issue is that the characters went from super complex to way too simple. I don’t see anything wrong with this complaint, and I get mad when others call fans like this entitled, because I don’t think they are. They just want the show to keep delivering what it started out with.

Avengers: Engdame: the entitled fans calling for the revival of a certain hero who died saving everyone else NEED TO STOP. This to me is the peak of the problem with fan entitlement. The creators made a good film, they stayed true to character, and they told their story. If you want something else, write a fanfic about it, but for goodness sake stop the dumb petition calling for the character to come back.

When it comes to SW, the vast, vast majority of critical reviews I’ve seen (and I’ve watched *a lot* in an attempt to make sense of why I hate it so much lol) have been complaints about storytelling and didn’t have a problem with the characters in theory, but hated how they were developed (or weren’t, as the case may be 😉 ) I have seen so few people who actually fall into the latter category (though I think there are more among political commentators maybe?) and at this point I see it as more of a strawman against people who have legitimate criticism for the movie.

GOT: that’s pretty much where I’m coming from, so I agree. Poor execution killed the show. I think the issue with entitlement is the whole petition thing- but like I said, I don’t really care about that, cos I think most petitions are nonsense anyway.

I don’t know about endgame because I’ve yet to see it, but it does sound ridiculous to complain over something like that.

I like how you said that reviews are for the fans. Like you, I was initially disappointed in the way Game of Thrones ended. However, the more I sit on it and think about it, the more OK I am with it. I still don’t like how it ended, but I do think that all my favorite characters got the ending they wanted, and I can live with that. Well…except Dany, but I’m mainly just disappointed in her. I don’t agree with the petition that went around. Too many people worked too hard on that show for those of us who have spent at least 7 seasons loving it to ask them to re-do something that costs millions of dollars and thousands of hours of work.

Thank you!! Ah I won’t say I’m okay with it, if I’m honest, I’m more just praying GRRM will come and save the day with the next two books 😉 But I can understand people being okay with it. To be honest, I have a very negative view of petitions most of the time anyway, so I don’t take it at all seriously. Having seen some people promoting it, they seem to be saying it’s more of a way of expressing their discontent (though I don’t think it’s effective in that way either). But if anyone does believe it’s going to make a difference, they’re being very silly (to say the least).

INTERESTING POST! I never heard of this term, though I’ve seen people being upset with GoT and others reacting to it. Honestly, I’m not huge into GoT … but it was an AWFUL and rushed ending, so I see why people are flustered.

I guess I fell into this category though with Star Wars … since the only new one I’ve liked so far is Rogue One. I agree that it’s okay for creators and directors to defend themselves at some points … however, when there’s SO many people upset about it, you have to consider that the majority are PROBABLY onto something (*cough* episode 7 was a re-hash of episode 4 and 5 *cough*).

This was also big with HP, especially since the worlds been growing. I love Rowling … don’t get me wrong … but when you have such a popular and large series that you want to expand … make sure you KNOW your own stuff? We are dedicated fans! Like the sequel to Fantastic Beasts?? That ending cliffhanger?? Umm … HOW?! And the whole people wearing suits at Hogwarts when in ALL the original books and films, they showed the profs in the past with robes?? Might sound silly, but those things make the films authentic.

There is this amazing game scheduled for release next year, being critizized for the most rediculous stuff, its not even fkn out yet and people already lost their shit… check out Cyberpunk 2077, if that is some thing you are interested in

Assuming that every reader sees herself in the role of the hero of the story, are they complaining because “they” failed? Probably. My favorite line, have heard it so often: “If I wrote the book, this would have happened instead of that.” Ah, no, because most readers aren’t capable of writing the book, only of reading it. They get to refuse to buy another book by the author who disappointed them. As for writing a better book – have at it, reader. Let’s see what you can do.

I agree with everything you’ve said here, but I guess when I think of ‘entitled fans’, I think of the people who abuse authors like Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff for a decision that their publishers made about releasing Memento. Or when people abused Goldsboro over the Aurora Rising edition because their website crashed. Or when people jump online and trash books without even reading them just because an author has published content that they think is problematic in the past (a la EL James). It’s that sort of entitlement that really irks me.
When a fan gets online and says the new Star Wars movie is rubbish, it’s highly unlikely that the person who made it that way will see it. But when someone tweets an 8 months pregnant Amie Kaufman who actually reads all her tweets, and makes her cry because of a decision that she had no control over, that’s when we have gone too far as a community.

Oh that’s fair and I do agree with you there- you make an excellent point! I really dislike that behaviour. Oh gosh, yeah that’s the worst- though I think the whole call out culture is another issue that deserves a different post- so I didn’t want to get into that side of it too much- but I do agree. And yeah, when it comes to @ing authors- that just sucks. There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion, but you really don’t have to send it to the author/creator.

In Korea dramas are filming as the show airs most times and netzens (i.e. fans or non-fans) criticize the show (or praise it) and sometimes production and writing addresses their concerns. Poor hair styles is a big one I’ve noticed without getting into all the hype over it. I don’t think its bad for creators to gain a little perspective. Sometimes their choices are crap. But reviewers are also entitled to their opinions. Great discussion!

I think that’s a fair point- some criticism can be helpful and I definitely think it can help to hear it out. But yeah, reviewers are definitely entitled to their opinion and it doesn’t help creators to go after them if they don’t like the criticism. Thanks!

Very important and interesting post! I’m probably on the “depends on the situation” side of things. I can understand and empathize the thoughts and feelings on both sides, definitely. I think the entitled fans terminology/problem is part of the bigger discussion of “what rights do fans have when it comes to the media they consume” and “how far does the principle of what they ‘deserve/have earned’ go” — it’s 100% a tricky situation and has a lot to do with a lot of other factors + certain aspects have to be taken into consideration.

As far as the answers to your questions go, I have NO IDEA. I do think there have been times where fans went to far and I do think there have been times where creators have handled the situation wrong. I’m not sure how I would want them to respond (creators) and/or how I would want them to articulate their criticism (fans) in detail BUT I do know that the basis should be respectfully interacting, trying to understand where people are coming from and trying to explain your reasoning for doing the things you did/feeling the things you did in a way that is neither hurtful or condescending on either sides. I could probably talk about this for ages haha. Thank you so much for sharing and talking about this phenomena! 🙂

I do get that for sure. Personally, I think a lot of it comes from interacting too much with each other (sometimes this is not either side’s fault- for instance journalists might pose a question to a creator about something fans didn’t like and then they’ll say something negative about the fans and it can just spiral from there). But I do think that being respectful would help. haha no worries, I get what you mean, thanks for reading!

I think this is one of those things that’s kind of complicated. You make a lot of great points here! It’s interesting to say that because they are treating their art as a product and us as customers (well, let’s face it, it IS a business) they should be trying to please us. Now, this is where I think, well, they *are* trying to please us, and by us I mean ‘the most general of people to have the most reach and make the most money which isn’t necessarily just the fanbase’ which is sometimes, I think, why it can be disappointing for people who have been with this thing for so long, loving it.

On the one hand, everyone has a right to complain and creators need to learn to grow thicker skins. But on the other hand, there’s no denying that some ‘fans’ are toxic and over the top ridiculous. I admit I laughed at the petition. It’s one thing to be mad, it’s another thing to start a petition! I think some fans just take things too far, and sometimes there are lines crossed, and that’s what I always think of when I think of the term ‘entitled fans’.

Yeah I do agree. Thanks! I definitely think there is an element of that- particularly if they’re going to get angry at fan reactions tbh.

So yeah, I do get that people should have a right to criticise- but I also agree that some people take it too far (/are being plain awful- as some of the above commenters have pointed out, like making Amie Kauffman cry over an edition of a book?!) Yeah that was my reaction too! (although I will say for the record, most petitions make me laugh/roll my eyes/roll my eyes and laugh, so I couldn’t even be bothered to talk about it 😉 ) And yeah I do get that- I just tend to think of the people who actually cross lines as less “entitled fans” and more regular assholes 😉

As a fan who has invested many hours and $$$ into the fandom (being a big Star Wars and even bigger X-Men fan) I stopped collecting the comics around 2014 when enough was enough. A $5 pricetag for mediocre decompressed comics, recycled story-lines and poor quality art. I was optimistic when Disney acquired Marvel and Star Wars, but the corporation has been running these franchises into the ground. With a well written comic or book 80% of the work is already done for a TV or film producer, all they have to do is get the right creative team, and casting choices. The Dark Phoenix Saga is one of those moments that changed what could be done in comics, and not only once, but twice have they botched the execution royally. They spend millions of dollars on these projects, but barely pay the original writers who create these stories. Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel just stick to the source material. This isn’t rocket science, the fans are entitled to be angry and entitled to their opinions.

I completely understand that and totally relate! (especially on the Star wars front!) And YES!! Couldn’t agree more! And that’s so true as well. I do very much agree with that. I think that a lot of the time it comes down to cutting corners- which ends up being a more costly issue anyway! So yeah, I definitely agree with you there!

The comic world has been plagued with constant re-boots and crossover events, which suck a title into an event usually marketed “things will never be the same again” which lasts 3-6 months. The writers have editorial mandates, and their progress and plans take a back seat to said event (movie tie-ins cough cough). Uncanny X-Men was re-booted with a #1 issue just recently in 2018, going to a weekly release schedule with three different writers (Ed Brisson, Kelly Thompson, and Matthew Rosenberg) It was a disaster, as they say too many cooks spoil the broth. This was the NEW MARVEL under Disney!!! Less than a year later the book is already being cancelled. Jonathan Hickman has been brought on to save the X-Line, he is cancelling all the books, and re-launching with House of X, and Powers of X. What Hickman did with Fantastic Four was pretty spectacular, so I am hopeful for the relaunch, but not holding my breath, and DEFINITELY waiting for the collected trades to come out. In this day and age readers are spoiled for choice, not to mention how much online media we have access to! These legacy brands need to be handled with the care and respect they deserve, as you said cutting corners only leads to more problems in the long run.

Yeah I’ve come to the conclusion that’s the solution to be honest- it’s not so far from the idea of just discussing ideas (and when people are so disappointed, I think fanfic might be the only way to go)

This is such a great post. I’m not a fan of anyone saying fans are entitled, but at the same time, I agree with what others have said above. It depends on the situation. When fans pour so much time and money into big franchises, it’s unfair to give them lackluster products though.

It’s amazing how a word can start out as an insight and quickly devolve into a way to insult or dismiss people. It happened to “narcissist” (which is really hard to spell by the way, as I just discovered), and now it has happened to “entitled” as well.

I think it’s impossible to discuss these things as general principles, at least not without diving into a couple of case studies first. Whether or not an author betrayed his or her readers depends so much on the story itself, and each one is different. I’m not familiar with all of the case studies you cite, so I can’t offer an opinion. I imagine that the principles involved will be different in each one.

I think, they should just suck it up or stop being a fan if they hate it so much. After all, we’re not the creator and shouldn’t be telling those who are how to do it–and I feel that’s the beauty in being the audience. Secondly, yes, I’ve heard how GoT sucked. I kinda realized that around season 4 and that’s why I stopped watching it. You have to understand it’s an adaptation of something so epic, I was overwhelmed how brilliantly it was adapted into the series… after a point there were going to be clashes with the original work as happens when stuff gets beyond popular. I knew the series was fucking it up, so I stopped watching and went back to the books instead.. entitled fans should just get a life, stuff would be a lot easier for them (pardon the language) I